The present invention relates to a transfer device of a sheet object and more particularly to a transfer device of a sheet object in which a thin or sheet working object, such as a glass mask base plate, is transferred one by one from a carrier way to a rotary type surface treatment device situated at a working position.
Generally in the conventional rotary type surface treatment device, when a surface treatment of a sheet object is performed with the same suctorially stuck to a spinner head and rotated while feeding some chemical to the surface of the sheet object, in order to transfer the sheet object from the carrier way onto the top face of the spinner head, as shown in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14, two edge portions opposed in the sheet object 10 are placed on transfer bars 12 respectively fixed onto a transfer frame 14, and the sheet object 10 is transferred by rotary movemet or parallel displacement of a transfer arm 33 within a horizontal plane (the rotary movement is illustrated in the Figures).
In this case, the transfer frame 14 is so arranged that the transfer bars 12 may be in parallel with conveyer belts 11, the two conveyer belts 11 may be put between the transfer bars, and the sheet object receiving sides of the transfer bars 12 may be in the level lower than either the contact area or the contact edge of the conveyer belts 11.
Under the indicated state, the sheet object 10 carried by the conveyer belts 11 placed thereon passes over the upper side of the transfer bars 12 and comes to butt to positioning pin 30 to be stopped there, and then a photosensor (not illustrated) detects that the sheet object 10 has reached an end point of the carriage way, and the transfer arm 33 is lifted. As the transfer bar 33 is lifted, the transfer frame 14 is also lifted so that the sheet object 10 may be transferred from the conveyer belts 11 to the transfer bars 12. When the sheet object 10 is placed on the transfer bars 12, the transfer arm 33 is rotated up to form a predetermined angle within a horizontal plane. Thereby, the sheet object 10 is transferred to the upper side of the spinner head 25. Then, from the inner space of a spinner cup 28, the spinner head 25 comes up and the sheet object 10 is lifted by the spinner head 25 resulting in separation of the contact between the sheet object 10 and the transfer bars 12.
After the transfer bar 33 is rotated up to form the predetermined angle within the horizontal plane, it is lowered and the transfer frame 14 is returned to a starting point. Finally, the spinner head 25 is lowered, and, while it is suctorially stuck to the sheet object 10 and performing a predetermined rotary movement, the sheet object 10 is fed with a chemical within the inner space of the spinner cut 28, so that the surface of the sheet object 10 is treated.
Under the foregoing prior art it is necessary for the transfer frame 14 to be replaced or changed according to the form, size, etc. of the sheet plate 10.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a transfer device of a sheet object easily adaptable to the variation or change in the external form, size, etc. solely by changing position of components of the transfer frame, particularly in such a case as transferring various sheet objects having different forms, sizes, etc. from the carrier way to the rotary type suface treatment device situated at the working position thereof.
Thus, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a transfer device of a sheet object in which sheet objects carried one by one through a carrier mechanism are placed on two transfer bars on both sides so as to be intermittently transferred from an end point of a carrier way to a working position, wherein at least one position adjustment piece is fitted in one of the transfer bars and at least two position adjustment pieces are fitted in the other transfer bar, and wherein a spacing between the two transfer bars as well as positions of the position adjustment pieces on the transfer bars are adjustable.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a transfer device of sheet object in which the sheet object is supported by, and in contact with, the position adjustment pieces fitted in the transfer bars so that the contact area with the sheet object may be reduced, and in which, particularly by inclining the contact surface of the sheet object situated on the position adjustment pieces to the underside of the sheet objects, such disadvantages as remaining of a trace or flaw caused by the contact, adhesion of soils, etc., on the surface of the sheet object can be minimized.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a transfer device of sheet object in which, particularly considering that the extent of soil on both sides of a glass mask base plate inevitably affects a yield of semiconductor wafer after the exposure, the contact point and contact area are minimized, thereby eventually contributing to improvement of productivity.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent in the course of the following description with the accompanying drawings.